Seek-scan probe (SSP) memories are a type of memory that uses non-volatile storage media as the data storage mechanism and offers significant advantages in both cost and performance over conventional charge-storage memories. Typical SSP memories include storage media made of materials that can be electrically switched between two or more states having different electrical characteristics such as resistance, polarization dipole direction, or some other characteristic.
SSP memories are written to by passing an electric current through the storage media or applying an electric field to the storage media. Passing a current through the storage media, or applying an electric field to the media, is typically accomplished by applying a voltage between a sharp probe tip on one side of the storage media and an electrode on the other side of the storage media. Current SSP memories use probe tips positioned on a free end of one or more MEMS probes. In an idle state each MEMS probe maintains the probe tip at a certain distance from the storage media, but before the electric field or current can be applied to the storage media the probe tip must usually be brought close to, or in some cases in direct contact with, the storage media.